The Charm School (20 page)

Burov pushed it back to Hollis again. “Then please note that on the waiver so we can proceed.”

Hollis felt that it could be a long night. The Russians were, if nothing else, patient and plodding. Hollis made a notation on the waiver but instead of giving it back said, “I must have a copy of this.”

“Of course.” Burov gave him a faint carbon copy of the same document, simultaneously taking the original from Hollis.

Lisa had the impression that Hollis and Burov had both been through this before in one form or another. The protocols of diplomacy, the give and take, the one-upmanship, the bluffing and posturing. It didn’t matter whether the issue was the disposition of mortal remains or nuclear disarmament. Men, she had observed, loved to talk deals.

“Item two,” Burov said, “an inventory of the personal items on the body and in the automobile. The items are in an air container and can be shipped to the deceased’s home address at your embassy’s expense, if you authorize that.” He handed Hollis the inventory.

Hollis leaned toward Lisa, and they both read the list, written in Russian. The list seemed very complete and included in addition to clothes and luggage, two watches, a school ring, camera, and even items that were meant to be small gifts, such as pens, razors, and postcards. It didn’t appear to Hollis as if anyone had helped himself to anything. This either meant that the peasants, local militia, and morgue employees had all the Western consumer goods they needed, or more likely that this had been a KGB operation from start to finish.

Burov said, “The lubricants and other things that were in the trunk are not in the air container because they are inflammable. You will see that there were fruits and vegetables in the car that cannot be shipped because of American customs regulations. We will be happy to send the lubricants and produce to the American embassy. In fact, you can take them back yourself. The pears looked quite good.”

“
You
can take the pears, Colonel, put a light coat of the lubricant on them, and shove them.”

“Shove them? Where?”

Hollis had the distinct impression that Burov knew the idiom well enough to know exactly where.

Burov shrugged and continued, “All Intourist vouchers will be redeemed and a Western bank draft sent to the embassy for forwarding to Mr. Fisher’s next of kin. I have six hundred and eighty dollars in American Express traveler’s checks, seventy-two dollars in American currency, and small assorted sums of European currency, which I will give you now. There were also thirty-two rubles and seventy-eight kopeks, which I can also give you.”

Hollis thought of Fisher’s words on the tape.
I gave him maps and money.
And the French woman’s statement that Fisher had borrowed two kopeks from her. Hollis concluded that Burov had thrown the Russian money in the kitty so as not to raise any questions. Hollis said, “I don’t see any maps listed on this inventory.”

Burov did not reply.

“Fisher surely had maps.” Hollis studied Burov’s face. “Perhaps someone took them.”

Burov waved his hand. “They would be of small monetary value.”

“Nevertheless, I’ll bet you’d like to know where those maps are now, Colonel Burov.”

Burov stared at Hollis.

Hollis was fairly convinced now that Dodson was not in KGB hands, dead or alive. Hollis pressed on. “If the maps should somehow turn up at the American embassy, I’ll let you know so you don’t worry yourself about them.”

Burov pursed his lips thoughtfully as if he was considering that possibility and finding it somewhat distressing. He said, “I’ll bet you we find those maps before you do.”

“I’ll take that bet. What are the stakes?”

“Very high, Colonel Hollis.”

Hollis nodded. If Dodson made it to the embassy or to a Western reporter in Moscow, his story would effectively end Soviet-American relations for about a decade.

Burov seemed to understand what Hollis was thinking and said bluntly and not too cryptically, “The stakes are peace.”

“Indeed they are.”

Burov went back to the business at hand. “We are holding the exposed film we found. We will have the film developed and will send the prints to your embassy. You understand that the KGB could not possibly let exposed film pass through its hands without a peek.”

Hollis looked up and saw that Burov was grinning at his own bad joke. Hollis replied, “I don’t see anything amusing about this. A young man is dead.”

Burov continued to grin, and Hollis had the impulse to smash his fist into those ripe cherry lips. Lisa began to say something, but Hollis laid a hand on her arm and said to Burov, “And of course you returned the key or
propusk
to the Rossiya.”

“There was no key or
propusk,
Colonel Hollis. Gregory Fisher never got to Moscow.”

“You know he did. We know he did.”

The paperwork and unpleasantness continued for another half hour. Finally Burov leaned back and abruptly observed, “You have been walking in the woods.”

Hollis looked up from a document and replied, “Picking mushrooms.”

“Really? You are real Russians now. Can you tell which are the poisonous
gribi
?”

“I guess so. I’m still alive.”

Burov laughed with real mirth, then leaned forward across the desk and still smiling asked, “May I see the mushrooms? I’m a fancier of them myself.”

“I’m afraid we weren’t very lucky.”

“I should think not in a pine forest.”

Hollis assumed that Burov had noticed a few pine needles or smelled the scent that clung to them, or perhaps he had more solid information. It was difficult, Hollis had learned, to know what these people knew for sure and what they were guessing at. They knew too much about each person in the embassy right down to the staffers in the USIS such as Lisa. On the other hand, Hollis knew very little about the Soviets with whom he came into contact, and he knew nothing about Colonel Burov, which was a distinct disadvantage. Hollis stood. “Will you find us a truck and driver now? We’d like to set out for the airport.”

Burov remained seated. “That’s not possible at this hour. You’ll have to spend the night.”

“Do you mean to tell me,” Hollis asked with a touch of sarcasm, “that a colonel of the KGB can’t round up a truck and driver because it’s after six o’clock?”

“I mean to tell you, Colonel Hollis, that unescorted night driving in the countryside is not permitted for foreigners. Diplomats included.”

“Then get us an escort.”

“Secondly,” Burov continued, “when your car arrived, I noticed that neither your taillights nor your brake lights were working. You must see to that in the morning. Unfortunately there is no service station in Mozhaisk, nor a hotel. However, there is a
sovkhoz
—a state farm—two kilometers from here. They will find you rooms in the commune building. There is also a mechanic there. I will write you a note, and they will be pleased to give you accommodations.”

Hollis glanced at Lisa, then said to Burov, “I don’t see that we have any choice. But I require a truck and driver here at eight in the morning.”

Burov laughed. “This is not America, and I am not an American boss, only a colonel in State Security. Expect the driver between nine and ten.” He gathered the paperwork into his attaché case, then made a notation on their travel passes. “This is valid now until noon tomorrow and also will give you entry to the state farm. See that you’re within the Moscow city limits by noon.” Burov indicated the way out.

Hollis said, “I want to call my embassy.”

“I don’t think there’s a phone here. Follow me, please.”

Burov snapped off the light in the cubicle and led them through the dark morgue.

They stood outside on the front steps of the morgue, and Burov gave them directions to the farm. Burov added, “There will be a large wooden sign over the entrance to the farm road that will read ‘Forty Years of October; Grain and Livestock Enterprise.’ You read Russian of course.”

Hollis supposed the name had something to do with the Great October Revolution, but there were only so many constructions you could make out of the words
Red, October, Revolution,
and
Great
before you had to start stretching it a bit. Hollis said, “The Red Livestock . . . what?”

Lisa suppressed a laugh.

Burov said curtly, “The October—no, the Forty Years of October—”

“What the hell does that mean?”

“How do I know?” snapped Burov. “The farm was probably founded on the fortieth anniversary of the October Revolution.” He glared at Hollis. “You damned people are so superior, aren’t you? So smug and so glib. Well, one day we’ll see who . . .” Burov seemed to realize he had let himself be baited and recovered his composure. “Well, I’m sure you won’t have trouble finding it. An old couple sleeps in the administration building. Knock loudly.”

Lisa said, “Where can we find a telephone?”

“On the state farm. And showers, so you can get that resin off you.” Burov touched his finger to a sticky smudge on her hand.

Lisa jerked her hand away.

Burov walked to the Zhiguli and looked at the license plate. “A rental car?”

“There were no embassy cars available.”

“Even so, Colonel Hollis, it is not legal for you to drive this car.”

“Don’t sweat the small stuff, Colonel. Do you know what that means?”

Burov walked around the car. “This car has been driven roughly . . . mud, pine twigs . . .” He pulled a cluster of pine needles from the chrome and twirled it in his fingers. “And the doors and fenders are newly dented. They will charge you for that. Where did you rent this?”

“My staff rented it for me.”

“May I see the rental papers?”

“No.”

“No?”

“No.” Hollis opened the driver’s-side door. “Good evening, Colonel Burov.”

Lisa opened her door and got in the car, but Burov put his hand on the door so she couldn’t close it. He said, “There are three main sights around Mozhaisk—Saint Nicholas’ Cathedral, Luzhetsky monastery ruins, and Borodino. You may have time to drive by all three, if you are early risers. Borodino is especially interesting to Westerners because of
War and Peace.
”

Hollis replied, “I have no interest in battlefields.”

“No? It’s a passion with us, I’m afraid. Too much war in this land. We keep having to teach people lessons.”

Hollis observed undiplomatically, “I don’t think either side learned anything at Borodino.”

Burov looked at him quizzically. “You must reread your history. It was a great Russian victory.”

Hollis studied the man across the roof of the car. Hollis believed that the one fatal flaw in the Soviet system was not economic, political, or military, but informational. Soviet facts had replaced truth and reality. Hollis said to Burov, “If you have nothing further, please close Ms. Rhodes’ door.”

Burov moved away from the car without closing the door, and Lisa pulled it shut, locking it.

Burov stood on the sidewalk and called out to Hollis, “Don’t get lost. And be careful on the highway. We don’t have room for two more bodies in the freezer.”

Hollis said, “Go fuck yourself, Colonel.”

“And yourself as well, Colonel.”

Then, as they both understood the rules of the game, they saluted simultaneously and bade each other good-evening.

11

As Hollis drove away from the morgue, he saw a black Chaika in his rearview mirror. He drove slowly through the dark, quiet streets of Mozhaisk, and the Chaika stayed with him.

Lisa said, “Colonel Burov was a nasty son of a bitch.”

“He must have had a fight with his wife this morning.”

“Did he know about our side trip to Borodino or not?”

“He made the correct deduction. Soon, however, when they find the two Border Guards, he will have no doubt.”

“Will he try to kill us for that?”

Hollis considered a moment before replying, “No, not for that. Burov understands that.”

“But for what we saw.”

“Perhaps,” Hollis replied. “Anyway, I told you in Moscow, these people are unpredictable. Our best defense is to be as unpredictable.”

“Meaning we shouldn’t go to the state farm.”

“Precisely.”

“Can we get back to Moscow?”

“Not a chance.” Hollis glanced in his rearview mirror again. “We have company, as we say.”

Lisa nodded. “Then let’s go someplace where we can be alone.”

Hollis smiled. He entered the center of town, a collection of two-story wood and stucco buildings around a traffic circle. There was streetlighting but not much other evidence that the town was inhabited. The main street of Mozhaisk was the old Minsk–Moscow road, and Hollis headed west on it toward the state farm. The Chaika followed. Hollis wondered if it was Boris and Igor in the car.

The road curved away from the Moskva River, and soon they found themselves traveling a very dark stretch of bad pavement, utterly alone on the vast Russian plain. Hollis could not see a single light from a dwelling, only the headlights of the Chaika in his mirror.

“What’s faster,” Lisa asked, “a Chaika or a Zhiguli?”

“Don’t ask.”

“You don’t have any more guns on you, do you?”

“No.”

“They could kill us pretty easily out here.”

“Not that easily.”

“Maybe they just want to see that we get to the state farm.”

“Probably.” Hollis, in fact, couldn’t determine what they were up to. He was sorry he’d thrown away the pistol, but in the Soviet Union he was a criminal, and criminals ditched the evidence. And in truth, if the people in the Chaika pulled him over and found the Tokarev pistol, the least they would do is charge him with murder, diplomatic immunity notwithstanding. More likely they’d kill him. On the other hand, if he had the Tokarev, he could eliminate the men in the Chaika.

Lisa looked through the envelope stuffed with papers and traveler’s checks that Burov had given them. “Even if they did murder that boy, they
are
very correct when it comes to legalities.”

“When it suits them. Did you get the impression Colonel Burov was worried about Major Jack Dodson?”